This invention relates generally to the application of a computer particularly by persons having physical impairment that makes it difficult for their usage of the standard computer keyboard, and more specifically, relates to a keyboard for use with the computer, or other instrument, and which greatly facilitates the usage and application of the keyboard by a person with physical disabilities.
The purpose of this current invention is not to replace the traditional typist type of keyboards readily available in the art, but rather to furnish a modified keyboard that will aid persons with hand problems, or other body dysfunctions, in the efficient use of a keyboard. Obviously, computers have become a necessary part of contemporary life, and persons that have been unable to gain or attain access to their full usage have been excluded from participating in one of society""s more significant advancements. One can readily understand this concept by reviewing in the press and by observing, through the radio and television, the significant impact on daily life over the last few years of the use of the computer for all types of activities such as accessing the Internet, for interpersonal communications, to obtain news, and for the selling and purchasing of all types of merchandise. Thus, the computer has had a significant impact upon society, more than any advancement occurring previous hereto.
The keyboard is still one major tool of choice for operating a computer. A person with certain physical handicaps may have a difficult time in utilizing the standard computer keyboards. Typical keyboards, particularly since miniaturization of such keyboards has been the trend, are difficult for handicapped individuals to use. Small keys on keyboards such those found on the xe2x80x9clap topxe2x80x9d style of computer are particularly troublesome. Small keyboards have become the trend rather than keyboards that would be more accommodative of people with such impairments, such as larger keyboards which more adaptable to usage. Even standard computer keyboards have many redundancies of actionable keys and have keys that are small or are so closely spaced together as to become rather unfriendly to the millions of potential users, particularly those having handicaps.
Through the present invention, by eliminating redundant keys, thereby allowing more space for keys to be made larger, by spacing the keys further apart, by incorporating key guards around individual keys, by changing the concavity of the key surface to a larger cavity and thereby increasing the visible symbol size, the inventor provides for usage of computer keyboards by the handicapped persons, who would ordinarily not be able to undertake such usage.
This invention contemplates the formation of a barrier free computer keyboard which is designed for persons that are handicapped, or have other physical impairment, but primarily for that type of individual that has more spastic hand movements, cerebral palsy, Parkinson""s disease, quadriplegics who have limited mobility and control of hand movements, persons with tremorous hands, arthritic patients who have restricted mobility in their hands, patients with multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy patients, stroke victims, and any other victims of poor neuromuscular development or control of their hands, and even persons with poor vision.
Accordingly, the primary object of this invention is to make the computer more accessible to those individuals who are physically or visually impaired through the use a manageable and adaptive keyboard, the type that is thus far unavailable in the art.
Therefore, another principal object of this invention to provide a keyboard with more compatible size keys that may be more easily accommodated by the handicapped person, during usage of a computer, or other keyboard instrument.
Another object of this invention is to provide a keyboard where the redundant type of keys may be eliminated, to add additional space for the enlargement of the remaining keys, to facilitate their usage by the physically impaired.
Still another object of this invention is to provide greater sized control keys at the bottom of the keyboard, and which are more frequently used by the operator, when using the computer.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a keyboard in which its keys may be formed with greater concavity, or be somewhat cup shaped, to allow for greater control by the handicapped person when applying such keys when operating the keyboard for a computer.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide for a keyboard that may include dividers, around each key, so as to assure that the user can be guided and directed towards usage of the proper key, during application of the keyboard. Generally stated, a keyboard is provided which eliminates the redundancy type of keys that normally may be found the standard keyboard utilized with most computers. By eliminating such additional keys, the size of the remaining keys for the keyboard can are enlarged, spaced apart a greater distance, or may have barriers arranged between them, to assure that the person with one of the identified impairments can more easily attain access to the desired key for contact and depression, and minimize the mistakes that normally occur during their usage of the standard type of computer keyboard. In addition, the various control keys, such as the shift, return, and related type of keys that are normally found upon the levels of the keyboard, can likewise be enhanced in size, to facilitate that more facile usage by the type of user as described above.
These and other objects may become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon reviewing the summary of the invention as provided herein, and upon a study of the description of its preferred embodiment, in view of the drawings.